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Orphan Crops’ and the Way This Technology Is Replacing Farmer-Managed Food Systems

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Orphan Crops’ and the Way This Technology Is Replacing Farmer-Managed Food Systems FARMING06 | 2016 – 32.2 MATTERSFormerly known as LEISA Magazine Experiences in family farming and agroecology Revaluing traditional plants ADVERTISEMENT Join our community and build the movement for agroecology Share your stories Subscribe to Farming Matters www.agriculturesnetwork.org/submit www.farmingmatters.org Connect on Facebook and Twitter agricultures @agriculturesnet @ileia_int Photo credit: Kuntal Kumar Roy Photo credit: Farming_Matters_advertentie_CORR.indd 2 14-06-16 09:48 FARMERS IN FOCUS Finger on the pulse of new local markets y name is André Jurrius and I am an varieties of dry edible beans. Lupin is well adapted organic farmer. For the past decade I to our climate as it can handle a lot of moisture in the Mhave been farming in the Netherlands, a soil. However, with the other legumes, wet periods stones throw from the Rhine River, on the same during flowering and harvest, and the relatively alluvial soil upon which I was born. On my farm, cool summers are constraints to be overcome. Eko boerderij de Lingehof, we have 100 hectares The climate is changing so perhaps working with of arable land. Stable income from my main legumes will be an advantage in the future. cash crops – potatoes, onions, carrots, pumpkin, cereals and clover – provides the space I need to Many consumers have little experience with experiment with new species of annual legumes. I different legume crops, making them expensive wanted to introduce legumes into my rotation to and risky for now. However, I am not alone in my improve soil fertility on the flood plain and also to pursuit of growing legumes and creating new participate in emerging local markets. Decreasing markets for these crops. I collaborate with people meat consumption in the near future will be met who are developing innovative ways of processing with more plant-based proteins and people want legumes and reaching consumers. For example, I locally-grown food. work with Jacqueline Castelijns who is developing different recipes and products with lupin. I I have always incorporated legumes into my double also work with other farmers and researchers cropping system, starting with grass and clover. In passionate about overcoming the challenges of 2008, I started growing lupins and have not looked growing more legumes in the Netherlands. back. Two years ago I started growing chickpeas and soybeans and this year I am intercropping with lentils Interview by Jesse Roberts, an intern at ILEIA. and wheat. I’m also experimenting with heirloom Photo: Bert Beelen Farming Matters | June 2016 | 3 CONTENTS Making millets matter in Madhya Pradesh Ashis Mondal, Israel Oliver King, Somnath Roy, Shambhavi Priyam, Gennifer Meldrum, 10 Stefano Padulosi, and Sharad Mishra “Real solutions are in the diversity of food and farming” Mariam Mayet 17 Interview by Diana Quiroz and Madeleine Florin Lupin regains ground in Central Ecuador Nelson Mazón, Eduardo Peralta, Elena Villacrés, 20 and Ángel Murillo Farmers’ firm grip on diversity 32 Leah Samberg 4 | Farming Matters | June 2016 CONTENTS 3 Farmers in focus: André Jurrius 36 Perspectives: Fair and sustainable expansion of traditional crops – lessons 6 Editorial: Traditional plants build resilience from quinoa and resistance Didier Bazile Madeleine Florin, Diana Quiroz and Janneke Bruil 40 Mind! New books on knowledge and agroecology 9 Opinion: Elizabeth Mpofu 42 Advocating for sustainable pastoralism 10 Making millets matter in Madhya Pradesh together Ashis Mondal, Israel Oliver King, Somnath RBG project team Roy, Shambhavi Priyam, Gennifer Meldrum, Stefano, Padulosi, and Sharad Mishra 44 FAO’s Regional meetings on agroecology: A reflection 14 Heritage grains: digging our roots, Janneke Bruil and Diana Quiroz planting our seeds Kristen Spruit 47 Call for articles 17 Interview: “Real solutions are in the diversity of food and farming” Mariam Mayet 20 Lupin regains ground in Central Ecuador Nelson Mazón, Eduardo Peralta, Elena Villacrés, and Ángel Murillo 24 Linking food choice with biodiversity Jens Herbold 26 Locally rooted: Ideas and initiatives from the field 35 28 Planting roots with non-timber forest products Rick Burnette and Abram Bicksler 31 Opinion: Kylie Lingard 32 Farmers’ firm grip on diversity Leah Samberg 35 Youth and agriculture: Frederik van Oudenhoven Photo: Jamila Haider 4 | Farming Matters | June 2016 Farming Matters | June 2016 | 5 EDITORIAL > REVALUING TRADITIONAL PLANTS Traditional plants build resilience& resistance This issue of Farming Matters looks at the growing number of initiatives worldwide that aim to harness the potential of traditional plants. Cultivating traditional plants builds resilience and nutrition, strengthens cultural practices and enhances food sovereignty. From the experiences presented here we learn that for the successful revival of traditional plants, farmers’ knowledge on agricultural biodiversity, nutri- tion and culture must also be valued and protected. And this works best through a holistic approach – from field to fork to politics. Madeleine Florin, Diana Quiroz and Janneke Bruil nderutilised, orphan, forgotten, Traditional plants are a central element in the agroe- minor, neglected, indigenous, cological transition. Photo: Ndabezinhle Nyoni traditional plant species. These are but a few of the names for the plant species that are ignored in main- stream policy and research. Out of U7000 plant species that have been used for human food consumption since the beginning of agriculture, just three crops (rice, maize and wheat) provide 60 % of the world’s plant-based calories and proteins today (FAO). Going against the grain, farmers and others around the world are embarking on initiatives that revalue the nutritional, ecological and cultural values of plants which, from here on will be referred to as ‘traditional’. This issue of Farming Matters presents a kaleidoscope of such experiences. Why are so few plant species valued? In colonial times, traditional plants and foods were often associated with notions of ‘primitive’, and left to marginalised sectors of society. A second wave of undervaluation came from the 1960s onwards with the Green Revolution. A food and farming system based on intensifying the cultivation of only a few crops – rice, wheat and maize, bred for routine application of fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation – was promoted. Diversity in traditional crops, farming techniques and diets was replaced with monoculture and monotony. Today the marginalisation of the majority of plant species in science, policy, education, development, pro- 6 | Farming Matters | June 2016 EDITORIAL > REVALUING TRADITIONAL PLANTS duction and consumption is evident. For instance, most Importantly, a range of traditional crops such as research, food aid and public procurement programmes millet are more nutritious than the major crops such as focus exclusively on the dominant crops, creating situa- maize. Finally, the cultivation, preparation and con- tions where farmers are convinced or coerced into culti- sumption of traditional plants is a way of reinforcing vating them. In turn, and often via global food chains, cultural identity and is an important survival strategy where power is concentrated in the hands of just a few amongst migrant communities (page 28) and those retailers who invest heavily in marketing campaigns, building peace in the aftermath of war (page 35). these are the crops that end up on the plates of consum- For all these reasons farmers worldwide actively ers. And so we are witnessing the loss of the knowledge manage and maintain their diverse traditional plants and cultural heritage associated with cultivating, pro- and crops, and both rural and urban citizens are dis- cessing and preparing many plant species. covering and appreciating their uses. Likewise, scien- tists are seeking alternatives to the green revolution Traditional plants and agroecol- technology package and are revaluing traditional ogy So what makes people revalue traditional crops? species, while policy makers such as governments and For one, because of the great richness and diversity that the FAO are recognising the value of such species for can be found among the plant species that do not food and nutrition security. dominate the global food system, but do provide at least But revaluing traditional crops is not easy, as it re- a quarter of the world’s plant-based food. And due to quires vision, creativity and stamina to go against the their many positive contributions, these plants are a mainstream. Moreover, traditional crops also have central element in the agroecological transition. their disadvantages. For instance, millets take a longer Diversification is a major motivation for a return to time to cook than rice and post-harvest processing of traditional crops. The negative consequences of inten- lupin is water and labour intensive. The processes of sive use of (often expensive) external inputs such as production and preparation of some ‘forgotten’ crops pesticides and fertilizers provide an incentive for also have been forgotten, while ‘modern tastes’ often growing a variety of different species to manage pests, favour so called ‘modern foods’, usually containing diseases and soil fertility. Traditional crops are a key wheat, rice or maize. And not everybody is able to component of such diversification strategies. In the make the transition. Some Indian farmers, who have absence of external inputs, traditional varieties often been monocropping groundnuts since the 70s, are outperform improved varieties and with
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